Spring 2009 - Issue 5

The Silversword: Home > Sports > Free Pilates Classes on Campus

Free Pilates Classes on Campus

Karina Suzuki, Arts and Entertainment Co-Editor

 When was the last time you did some serious working out? Did you know that during the month of October- November Pilates is offered on campus — for free?

If you are planning to incorporate some exercise in your weekly routine, try Pilates class, which is offered every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. free of charge by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership office on Hale Lokelani.

Karen Castillo, the Pilates instructor, has been teaching it for three consecutive semesters at Chaminade University. She decided to become involved with Pilates due to her husband’s back injury many years ago because rehabilitation and therapy never helped him.
Someone suggested Pilates, which, miraculously, was the only exercise system that helped him to recover from his back injury.

Eventually Castillo decided to become an instructor after completing all the requirements in order to obtain a Pilates certification. She said that it was “challenging,” but she loves doing it.

I joined the class mainly because I wanted to write and promote the class among Chaminade students, not thinking that I would end up liking it and appreciating this new kind of exercise. My experience in my first Pilates class was very amusing — it was funny to see myself in such a weird positions that made me laugh.

Castillo taught the class some breathing techniques that were followed by some a warm up and light stretches. We worked through the sequences slowly, then focused on what is called the “core” abdominals: pelvis, back, shoulders and buttocks.

The exercises were not as hard as I thought, especially after having practiced yoga for a while. However, after 40 minutes of working throughout the different techniques, your body starts feeling the workout. You don’t sweat much, but you have to have some sort of strength, control of breathing, and a willingness to lose those few extra pounds.

Every semester the OSAL office offers a diversity of classes, like yoga and Muay Thai, and this month Pilates. These activities are chosen because OSAL’s main objective is to try to inspire students, staff and faculty to become active and also to be involved in the campus community.  OSAL wants to focus specifically on health and fitness that will encourage us to live longer and to have healthier lives.